Honeywell has unveiled a new accelerometer that delivers high performance and reliability in a small, rugged, and low-cost package. The MV60 micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) accelerometer is designed for aerospace and defense but also has potential uses for industrial and marine applications that require high-precision, navigation-grade accelerometers that are small, lightweight and require little power to operate.

The MV60 measures the acceleration experienced by an object during movement. These types of high-accuracy sensors are mainly used in inertial measurement units and navigation systems deployed on land, air, and sea vehicles to measure velocity. Additionally, inertial systems provide key orientation information for drilling operations; precision pointing and altitude determination for vehicles; platform stabilisation; and target location and surveying.

"The MV60 accelerometer is a technological breakthrough that leverages 50 years of Honeywell inertial sensor and MEMS experience to offer excellent reliability, ruggedness and performance," said Matt Picchetti, vice president, Navigation and Sensors, Honeywell Aerospace. "Our customers in a wide range of markets will benefit from an accelerometer that is smaller, lighter and requires less power over similar offerings, and they won't have to sacrifice performance."

The highly reliable Honeywell MV60 accelerometer features a compact footprint of only 1.2 square inches and boasts shock survivability of up to 5,000 g (g-force). It also offers bandwidth greater than 300 Hz (hertz), which is especially important for environmentally demanding missions.

The MV60 delivers accuracy and performance that previously had only been available in more expensive solutions. Now, customers have a more affordable, rugged, and small-scale offering suitable for the most demanding navigation applications.

Accelerometers are critical elements of navigation systems, and Honeywell provides a portfolio of precision accelerometers that delivers reliable performance at affordable prices to meet customer needs.